


Can't Say "No"

by ch0imineul



Category: NU'EST, Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Hwang Minhyun-centric, M/M, Mutual Pining, Whipped culture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-14
Packaged: 2020-05-07 13:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19210378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ch0imineul/pseuds/ch0imineul
Summary: "What? No one wants a hug from the birthday boy?" Jaehwan faked a pout as he stood in the middle of the room assessing the mess he made of himself with an incredulous smile on his face. He could not believe that his friends organized a surprise birthday bash for him; could not believe that his chocolate birthday cake was all over his shirt and that he would have to spend the rest of the night either topless or covered in chocolate. Most of all, he could not believe Hwang Minhyun was here tonight.Who even invited him?a.k.a. where Minhyun had to choose between keeping his shirt clean or finally making a move on Jaehwan





	Can't Say "No"

"Why the heck did I let Seongwu talk me into going here?" Hwang Minhyun asked himself as soon as he got inside the club that his college friend Seongwu had bribed him into going to with the promise, "I'll be there. And I promise, you will not regret saying  _Yes_ to me when the night is over."

Minhyun usually chooses to stay in on a Friday night, just cleaning his house, doing his laundry, reading a book, or listening to some jazz instead of bothering to go out for... _this_ —loud music, bright lights, strangers, alcoholic drinks, etc. So he wondered what made tonight different; that he actually let Seongwu summon him out.

And although Minhyun was pleasantly surprised that the place wasn't as overcrowded as he expected it to be, nor was the music deafeningly loud and upbeat, it still definitely wasn't Minhyun's cup of tea and he wished he wouldn't regret going out. Not during his first fifteen minutes here.

He got his wish about five seconds later when his eyes landed on Kim Jaehwan who was on the other side of the room, seated alone at the bar, looking as out of place as Minhyun was feeling.

Minhyun didn't peg Jaehwan to be the heavy-drinker type nor the club-hopping type; so to say that he was surprised to see the familiar face here, was an understatement.

The two of them were merely acquaintances who moved in the same circles back in college and Minhyun could only vaguely remember the younger guy confessing to him about three years ago when he was a senior and when Jaehwan was a junior.

The younger didn't really leave a remarkable impression then so the memory was muddy; but Minhyun knew for sure that he rejected Jaehwan’ s confession. As he did with many other confessions that came before and after it. He just wasn't looking to enter a relationship, especially not during his last year in college. He needed all his time, energy, and focus dedicated solely to earning his degree on time.

But what he could vividly remember was seeing Jaehwan in the noisy, busy streets of Hongdae in his first year out of college, two years ago. Busking.

It was supposed to be a normal night out alone in the streets but it was almost cinematic how Minhyun realized that the lovely voice floating along the streets was Kim Jaehwan's.

He was about to fish his wallet out of his pocket when his eyes strayed to the vocalist who was fronting for the semi-acoustic band that had garnered for itself a small crowd of listeners in the middle of the street. And the metaphor of having a veil lifted from one's eyes had suddenly become true for Minhyun, as if Jaehwan's voice unhinged something inside him, and he was suddenly looking at the younger through entirely different lenses. One second, he was about to buy for himself some street food to fill his stomach with, and the next thing he knew, he was already a hundred percent drawn, entranced, and breathlessly enraptured by Kim Jaehwan singing while playing his electric guitar to some English slow rock song.

Minhyun didn't know it then yet, but that night would be the first among many that, against his usual routine, he would go out on a weeknight to hang back and watch Jaehwan perform in Hongdae; staying hidden within the crowd as he huddled close to a Takoyaki stall, making sure his mask was in place and his hoodie was low on his forehead.

That first night was in autumn; the temperature was harsh and it was chilly outside but Jaehwan's voice and how his face shifted to such a scarily convincing look of longing every time he sang a love song, made Minhyun feel like it was springtime instead.

Minhyun has frequented Hongdae since then. For about a year; coming out to watch Jaehwan whenever his schedule permitted him to; staying discreet but sitting (or is it standing?) through Jaehwan's band's entire performance. He was fascinated by the younger's confident presence, his powerful voice, and his beautiful fingers playing his electric guitar so effortlessly that one would think the instrument was nothing but an extension of his own body. And it gave Minhyun such a rush to have this precious, secret, little moments to himself where he can just watch Jaehwan be... Jaehwan. In his own element. Surrounded by his own music. Surrounded by people who knew enough about music to know that a talent like Kim Jaehwan's doesn't come around often.

Although he enjoyed Jaehwan's music thoroughly, Minhyun never made an effort to stalk Jaehwan on social media nor go out of his way to get Jaehwan's number or have any sort of interaction with him. He was content the way things were.

Or so he thought because sometimes, Minhyun would see younger girls approaching Jaehwan to ask for a picture. Like he was a celebrity in his own right. And although the older knew that Jaehwan was openly gay, a shot of jealousy would always _always_ pinch him on the insides whenever Jaehwan would wrap an arm around his fans' shoulders. Never mind that most of them were women, Minhyun learned to dash homebound as soon as the last note to their last song was played. For his self-preservation; because he really didn't appreciate seeing others standing way too close to Jaehwan or huddling way too comfortable against Jaehwan's side.

Most of all, Minhyun didn't like having to examine where these feelings were coming from. He wanted to believe that he did  **NOT** catch feelings just from watching Jaehwan perform and watching him interact with his audience with both professionalism and gratitude & humility.

One night, the older had asked himself as he watched a group of guys asking for a picture with the entire band, how things could have been if he had accepted Jaehwan's confession then. How things could have been if Minhyun had come out before he graduated because if he was going to be honest, he wasn't as sure about his sexuality then than he is now. And maybe that was the reason for him rejecting all the confessions he received back in college. Maybe he wanted to figure himself out first. But now that he did, things seemed to be a little too late.

And Minhyun hated that he's developed a not-so-fleeting interest on Jaehwan just when the younger probably wasn't into him anymore.

It had been about two years after Jaehwan's confession that Minhyun accepted these facts like it was some hard pill to swallow because it was only a matter of time, he realized, before he and Jaehwan gravitate towards opposite directions to revolve in different orbits; paths headed on divergent directions again.

Minhyun’s predictions came true when sooner rather than later, Jaehwan and his band had stopped busking in Hongdae and the older had to accept the fact that he might have seen the last of Jaehwan.

That is why Minhyun deemed it nothing short of a miracle when, about half a year later on one fateful day, Kim Jaehwan landed back on his lap. Well, not literally, but the older found out that the younger was offered a position in the same company he was working for.

Their company was an affiliate of the school they both graduated from, so that part wasn't very surprising but of all people?  _Kim Jaehwan?_

Jaehwan's first handful of months in the company went by uneventfully for Minhyun. They worked on the same floor, but on different departments, although they would still bump into each other a couple of times a week in the restroom or the pantry or the lobby which was also the entire floor's common area.

But it was strange. Minhyun was a hundred percent sure that Jaehwan has seen & recognized him, but not once did the younger ever acknowledge him nor greet him as his hoobae both at university and at the company.

And thus, a niggling feeling at the pit of Minhyun's stomach was born and it told him to approach Jaehwan and... and well, he hasn't thought past approaching Jaehwan, if only to relieve the unpleasant feeling he gets whenever he tried to catch Jaehwan's eyes and all he's rewarded with was watching the younger be dead set on avoiding his eyes (probably from having been rejected by Minhyun before).

So standing in the middle of the club now, which Minhyun called a stupid idea just a few seconds ago, doesn't seem so bad, now that he knew that Kim Jaehwan was here. So Minhyun squared his shoulders and took this as a chance to finally  _finally_ approach the younger. 

For whatever reason Seongwu dragged him out tonight, for whatever reason Minhyun agreed (although with some reservation initially), and for whatever reason Jaehwan was here alone also, Hwang Minhyun would just go ahead and do it. He would approach Kim Jaehwan, ask the younger if he remembered him, tell him that he used to watch him busk in Hongdae, ask him why his band stopped busking, and maybe even ask him out..?

He cleared his throat, fixed his collar, ran a shaky hand through his hair and started towards Jaehwan's general direction. 

But someone with a cake in hand was exiting the club's kitchen at the same time, and Jaehwan turned towards the person holding the cake out instead.

Minhyun was close enough to see that Jaehwan's eyes widened at the sight of the cake while the older was puzzled himself.

The younger's mouth was hanging open before realization dawned on him, and he started shaking his head unbelievingly while all the patrons broke into the familiar "Happy Birthday" tune, effectively halting Minhyun in his tracks.

Minhyun looked around in confusion wondering what was happening and it was only by the third bar of the song did he finally realize that they were singing to Jaehwan. That the club was full of many familiar faces from university. That his dear & beloved friend Ong Seongwu had dragged him to a surprise birthday bash... for Kim Jaehwan.

It was by the fourth bar of the song that Jaehwan had begun looking around the bar, smiling softly to each of the familiar faces in gratitude—friends, classmates, fraternity brothers, etc. but as his eyes landed on Minhyun, his smile faltered, and his face crumpled in confusion.

Minhyun's heart sank, and his shoulders sagged. He was close to retreating and calling it quits in hopes that he'll have another chance to approach Jaehwan in the near future when suddenly, Jaehwan's face slowly blossomed into the most dazzling smile Minhyun has ever seen on the younger's face; eyes sparkling and crinkled in the corners. And that smile was directed to him.

Minhyun felt his knees go weak and his brain short-circuited. He missed the "Birthday Song" coming to an end and had only snapped out of his daze when Jaehwan dragged his eyes away from his.

Minhyun took this as a chance to lift a hand to his chest to check if his heart was still functioning because,  _What the hell was that?_ Did Jaehwan really smile at him? And why was he so damn affected? He knew he was interested at the guy but what in the world was that the-ground-shifted-beneath-my-feet kind of feeling?

Minhyun was utterly bewildered, not used to these sensations.

"Make a wish!" someone from the crowd yelled and Minhyun watched Jaehwan turn around to make good with the request, blowing out the candle and lifting his hands to hold the cake steady as the other person held out the cake to him but oh, what a wrong move that was. 

Because some static electricity sparked (literally) between Jaehwan and the other guy when their fingers brushed causing them both to flinch hard away from each other, sending the cake flying to land unceremoniously on Jaehwan's old rose shirt.

The cake was chocolate-flavored, by the way, making all the spectators gasp collectively at the accident. But after a beat of dead silence, Jaehwan just burst out in laughter as gravity worked its powers on the cake so that it slid down his shirt to splat onto the floor; complete with the gross sound of something soggy hitting the ground.

"So," Jaehwan began loud enough for each of the guests to hear, as he bent down to scoop some of the icing from the cake to messily hold in both his hands. "Who wants to give the birthday celebrant a hug?" he asked playfully as he looked around the room with mischief painted all over his face.

And there was Minhyun's biggest crisis for the night—having to choose between his perfectly-ironed, neatly-tucked, crisp white button-down shirt that he has neatly folded up to his elbows... and Kim Jaehwan.

His temples pounded as he faced the tough decision while watching Jaehwan playfully run towards his guests, causing girls to run the opposite direction squealing and... well, causing guys to do the exact same. It would have been very funny if Minhyun wasn't so torn between keeping his shirt clean (as with everything in his house and his office desk and his life) or taking a chance. Taking  _this_ chance.

"What? No one wants a hug from the birthday boy?" Jaehwan faked a pout as he stood in the middle of the room assessing the mess he made of himself with an incredulous smile on his face. He could not believe that his friends organized a surprise birthday bash for him; could not believe that his chocolate birthday cake was all over his shirt and that he would have to spend the rest of the night either topless or covered in chocolate. Most of all, he could not believe Hwang Minhyun was here tonight. _Who even invited him?_

Meanwhile, from the other end of the room across him, Minhyun saw his friend Ong Seongwu smirking at him, complete with a mockingly raised eyebrow. _"What are you waiting for?"_ Seongwu mouthed to Minhyun. A challenge.

 _But hold up, wait a sec. How does Seongwu even know Jaehwan? How does Seongwu even know_ about _Jaehwan?_

"I'm sad, guys," Jaehwan said sarcastically, eyes filled with mirth. "Does no one really want a hug?"

 _Just do it, you coward!_ Seongwu's eyes screamed at Minhyun silently and the older, although confused, also realized that it was now or never. He'll get to the bottom of everything with Seongwu later.

"I'll hug you!" Minhyun dragged the words past his lips before he changed his mind and though the music stayed loud, it was obvious that everyone had fallen silent.

Then everyone turned to look at Minhyun. Everyone was surprised because everyone probably knew him from university. Hwang Minhyun. Editor-In-Chief of their school publication. Campus heartthrob. And right now, everyone probably thought he was crazy; probably wondered what he was up to by taking Jaehwan up on the crazy offer.

Truth be told, Minhyun himself didn't know, but as Jaehwan's eyes found his again, it felt vaguely as if something has fundamentally shifted inside him. And between them.

And Jaehwan, on the other hand, didn't really expect anyone to take it seriously. It was supposed to be a joke. A way to liven up the mood despite his birthday cake being ruined. He didn't even expect Hwang Minhyun, his biggest & longest-standing crush, to be present tonight. Much less expect the same man to be walking towards him right now, arms open wide, face a mixture of uncertainty, playfulness, and an unspoken challenge, too.

So you would forgive Kim Jaehwan for standing there stock-still unable to say anything or do anything except gape at Hwang Minhyun who was just waiting for him to accept the hug.

"What, now you're second-guessing this?" Minhyun cocked an eyebrow at Jaehwan and leaned forward to wrap his strong arms around Jaehwan's smaller figure. "Consider this as my confession. Happy birthday, Kim Jaehwan."

_May Hwang Minhyun's perfectly white button-down shirt rest in peace._

=====

Minhyun peeked from outside, through the crack between the door and the frame as Jaehwan stood in the middle of the older's walk-in closet, tentatively running his hands down the shirt that the older insisted to lend him.

It hung a bit too loosely on his shoulders and it made Minhyun's heart soar with a couple of exaggerated, teenage, feelsy emotions.

How he got here was all a blur to Jaehwan but what he could recall was the room erupting in cheers as Minhyun unwound his arms from around Jaehwan, scrunching his nose up at all the chocolate stain he got on his own shirt. And then Minhyun was dragging Jaehwan to his car after whispering, "Let's go to my place and change to cleaner clothes."

It was comical how Jaehwan could only nod without a word, eyes unblinking and staring back at the older, and Minhyun was overcome by such a strong urge to pinch the younger's cheeks then. Jaehwan looked so lost and too damn adorable.

And now, here they were, at Minhyun's flat which was only about six blocks away from the club, Jaehwan wearing one of Minhyun's shirts.

Looking at Jaehwan through the younger's reflection in the mirror, Minhyun asked, "You ready to head back? Seongwu called and told me that the party is in full-swing. Everyone is asking why the birthday boy still isn't back, so I told him—"

"Can I ask you something first, Minhyun-ssi?" Jaehwan cut him off, swinging around to face the older.

And although Minhyun was taken aback at the sudden call for a confrontation, he had the state of mind to open the door more widely so he can lean against the doorframe to indulge the birthday boy. "It's your night. Ask away."

"Did you mean it?" Jaehwan asked seriously without any hint of insecurity, as his eyes searched Minhyun's for some explanation. He obviously just wanted to know the truth, no sugarcoating and no beating around the bush needed, and the steadiness in his gaze told Minhyun that he was ready to take either a Yes or a No with maturity and understanding, only making him all the more attractive in Minhyun's eyes.

"Do you not want me to?" Minhyun asked, surprised at  _his_ own uncertainty, but communicating a _Yes_ so clearly with his eyes that there was no chance for Jaehwan to misunderstand. "You don't have to be pressured. Not at the night of your birthday. I know it's been years since you confessed to me so I would understand if you no longer—"

"I do," Jaehwan cut him off so quickly, almost as if he was afraid to lose the chance to let the older know that the feelings were mutual. "I still do," he repeated, "But it took you long enough, Minhyun-ssi."

And that was all it took for the understanding to be exchanged between them as they both fought the smiles that threatened to show on their lips, with the way they were gazing at each other speaking volumes of how helplessly captivated they were of each other.

Minhyun knew he had to say something, so he did. "First," he said, holding up a forefinger, "You'll call me  _hyung_ from now on," and cocking his head to one side in curiosity, he continued, "Second, what do you mean it took me long enough?"

Jaehwan then threw his head back, laughing heartily. And what a beautiful sound and beautiful view that was to Minhyun. "What, you didn't think you hid well in the crowd whenever you watched me busking, do you?" he giggled.

A second of surprise overcame Minhyun but his eyes quickly softened at the lovely sight he had of Jaehwan giggling onto his fist. Tonight really had surprise after surprise coming at him in the form of Kim Jaehwan, and Minhyun foresaw a future filled with the excitement of training himself to get used to Jaehwan's little quirks and surprises.

"But to be fair," Jaehwan continued, "I would have stopped pining for you if you hadn't been such an avid fan of my band," he added, teasing the older. "And did you really think it was purely coincidence that I applied in your company?"

"Even that?" Minhyun exclaimed. He could not believe what he was hearing. Here he was, thinking it was purely the work of fate that Jaehwan had come back into his life, only to realize that it was partially this naughty, cunning, lovely pixie's doing. And he was so damn thankful to Jaehwan. Thankful for Jaehwan.

He sent a quick thanks to the gay gods for orchestrating everything so that now, he was standing in front of a Kim Jaehwan who was basically implying that whatever feelings he had for Minhyun when he confessed back when thy were in university, never really left.

"So I guess there's one last thing left to say," Jaehwan continued, as he padded barefoot towards Minhyun looking the softest in Minhyun's shirt. "I, Kim Jaehwan, accept your confession."

And Minhyun had to chuckle at the younger's silliness despite the utter feeling of relief that washed over him from the emotional nudity that Jaehwan was displaying before him. "You're one of a kind, Kim Jaehwan," Minhyun said, an affectionate smile on his lips as they stared into each other's eyes.

"I am!" Jaehwan confidently echoed, just when Minhyun thought the conversation has taken a serious turn. "I mean, you wouldn't have held out for me for that long if I wasn't, right, _Minhyun hyung_?" 

And it was to the younger's delight to watch Minhyun duck his head to hide the blush that had begun dusting his cheeks pink at Jaehwan's first use of the endearment.

"If I had known you were this cocky, I wouldn't have—"

"Hey! It's my birthday and I have zero tolerance for Hwang Minhyun going back on his word. You confessed, and I accepted. It stays that way," Jaehwan asserted playfully, solidifying their mutual understanding in his own quirky way. Taking it even further, he joked, "Besides, we're already at that stage where we share clothes, aren't we? So, what's the danger?"

"I don't know," Minhyun shrugged, feigning innocence. "What if you fall in love with me?" he asked, matching his frisky tone with another nose-scrunch, making it seem like the idea was such a bad one.

Jaehwan scoffed crossing his arms over his chest. "Ha! We'll see about that! Besides," Jaehwan singsonged, shifting his weight from one foot to another, "Who's to say that  _you_ haven't already fallen in love with  _me_?"

"Right?" Minhyun agreed, taking a sudden turn, catching Jaehwan blindsided and having the pleasure of watching confusion and then surprise and then bashfulness take turns being displayed on the younger's face.

And suddenly, Jaehwan swayed on his feet, a palm to his forehead, and Minhyun was quick to steady him with hands on the other's upper arms. "Are you okay?" he asked, worry lacing his voice before he started connecting the dots—Jaehwan being seated at the bar when he got to the club and Jaehwan being overly chatty and confident.

Jaehwan reached out to lay his palms on Minhyun's chest. "So you're really real?" he murmured, eyes hooded and words slightly slurred. "Because if you are, you should know that one, drunk or not, I mean everything  _only if_ you mean everything. Two, I'm not this confident without some alcohol in my system. And three, I might have to ask you to rehash all of tonight's happenings by tomorrow because even if I'm not drunk enough to forget, really, this is all too good to be true."

And for the second time that night, Minhyun took Jaehwan in his arms and whispered words which the younger has longed to hear, "I meant it all, Jaehwanie. And I'll remind you again tomorrow."

"And the day after tomorrow?" Jaehwan asked cheekily, burying his face on Minhyun's chest and wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Yes."

"And the day after that?"

"Yes."

"And did you just call me _Jaehwanie_?" the younger asked, lifting his head from Minhyun's chest to look up at the older's face, looking like the cat that swallowed the canary—guilty of knowing the answer already and guilty of liking the nickname too much.

"Yes," Minhyun chuckled. "Why? You don't like it?" he asked, narrowing his eyes playfully and daring the other to deny it.

"No, I love it!" Jaehwan insisted, shaking his head back and forth. "So you’re calling me _Jaehwanie_ always now?"

"If you want me to."

The younger expressed his glee by wrapping his arms around the older's waist again, bouncing on his toes happily.

"And can you kiss me?" Jaehwan raised the question, pushing his luck as he slightly drew apart from the embrace once again.

It didn't help the older that, on top of the provocative question, Jaehwan was already wetting his lips with his tongue and that his eyes were already fixated on Minhyun's now-trembling lips. But what's the fun in just giving into the younger's request?

So Minhyun teased right back, "Well, I've only been saying _Yes_ to you tonight, haven't I?" He raised a hand to pat Jaehwan's head fondly while his free arm snaked around the younger's waist, drawing their bodies closer to each other again, and eliciting a soft gasp from Jaehwan. "So who am I to say _No_ to a birthday boy's request?"

A smile slowly graced Jaehwan's lips at Minhyun’s answer so he closed his eyes in anticipation for the sweet contact, tipping his chin up; waiting and willing.

And thankfully for him, Hwang Minhyun didn't make him wait too long as they shared the sweetest, most chaste, barefooted birthday kiss in the middle of the older's walk-in closet.

It was slow, and it was soft; everything that Jaehwan in his stupid daydreams had hoped his first kiss with Minhyun to be like.

"Best birthday gift ever," the younger whispered as they drew apart.

"Oh yeah? How about promising to celebrate many more birthdays together then?" Minhyun offered as he let the younger hold his face between his palms; the pads of Jaehwan's thumbs grazing his cheekbones back and forth with a fondness that made Minhyun turn his head quickly towards the left so that he can lay a soft kiss on Jaehwan's right palm.

"Only if they come with many more of these kisses, too," Jaehwan whispered, standing on his tiptoes and drawing Minhyun's face lower and closer to his so that they can share a longer, deeper, more sensual kiss that almost caused them to forget about heading back to the club.

 

**Author's Note:**

> i hop you guys didn't expect much but i also hope you guys weren't sorely disappointed either lol alsooo this is the fluffiest i've written so far
> 
> let me know which parts u loved and which ones i could have improved over at [twitter](http://twitter.com/choimineul) or at [curiouscat](http://curiouscat.me/choimineul) (yes i finally created one lol so pls don't let it flop haha)


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